Cilla 'living the Scouse lie' for years

Light entertainment legend yesterday revealed the truth about her early years, and the lifetime of ‘living a lie’ that she now wants the public to know about.

In an exclusive interview with Country Life Magazine she says “I have a lovely life here in Buckinghamshire, and to be honest I always have. That story about me working as cloakroom attendant at the Cavern is a lot of tosh. Anita Harris and I went up to Liverpool late in 1962 because there really wasn’t a lot going on in Great Missenden.
“Brian Epstein and I went way back, we were in prep school together in Wendover, and he said to me that it was the place to be, but we had to come up with a story to sell to the public, so, we fabricated the lot – the ginger hair, the goofy teeth, the scouse accent – everything. We had a dialect coach work with me on the accent and the catch phrases, but to be honest, I think over the years it became a little caricatured, because nobody actually talks like that, do they? And really, where did they imagine I got my taste for champagne from? Certainly not the Co-op in Bootle! No no, my dear, it was the skiing holiday in St Moritz before my coming out ball in 1961.
“What amazes and delights me is that we managed to keep it up for so long! Well it’s a job isn’t it? Which is more than most real Liverpudlians manage!”
Cilla says that she now just wants to be herself, and will only be putting on the wig, the dentures, and the voice like a cheese grater on very special occasions. She is currently appearing in Cinderella at the Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury until January 15th. Seats available at all prices.